10 Best Las Vegas Sports Events - And Where To Watch Them

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will be the site of the 2012 Super Bowl. Image via Wikipedia

In less than a month, the single biggest sporting and television event of the year will held, as Super Bowl XLVI is played in Indianapolis. A very lucky 70,000 or so fans will be on hand for the game in Lucas Oil Stadium, and Indy is one of the best cities on earth for hosting sporting events. But for everyone else, there is Las Vegas.

Despite a vast proliferation of casino gaming in virtually every corner of the country, Nevada remains the only place where sports betting is legal, and for that reason, big sporting events pack the “sports books,” as these sections of the casinos are known. That name hardly does them justice, since many of these are elaborate lounges or salons featuring comfortable leather or cushioned seats, bar tables, individual TVs and unbelievably huge main screens, all with waitress service and of course, the ability to bet on games.

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the busiest days of the year in the sports books, and many high rollers come to town just for the occasion, since the better casinos throw invitation only parties and convert entire ballrooms to VIP “stadiums” to watch the game amidst free food, booze and pampering. But anyone can enjoy the Las Vegas sports book experience as long as they are willing to get there early enough or skip the busiest rooms. In many ways, the sports book is also the best buy in Sin City – no one makes you wager, there is no dealer chiding you to place your next bet, and a $5 bet on the game can keep some people as invested in the outcome as a half million dollars spread across all the exotic “proposition” bets that are rolled out just for the big game, from which player scores first to the yardage of the longest field goal kicked. Some sports books require tickets for free drinks, given out as you place bets, but others simply roll with the festivities and serve everyone – for bettor or worse.

Nevada remains the only place in the US where sports betting is legalized.

And it’s not just the Super Bowl. Because it is a single game, and somewhat limited to fans of just two teams, it is not as big a draw as the opening weekend of the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament, which has many games and myriad boosters. There are a number of other major events from a surprisingly broad array of sports that become instant parties in Vegas, a city looking for an excuse to celebrate. With the help of my friends at MGM Resorts International, which owns most of the highest profile Vegas casino resorts, including the Bellagio, Aria, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, New York New York, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus, I put together a Top 10 list of the biggest and best sporting events worth traveling to Vegas for. Some of these are repeat events and not limited to a single game or date.

The results are surprising: any given Saturday in college football season or any Sunday during the NFL regular season is a bigger Vegas event than the World Series, the NBA Finals, or the Stanley Cup. It is an intriguing list.

But first, some personal thoughts from my many years of writing on Las Vegas and gaming on my favorite sports books and why:

MGM Grand: There is simply nothing better for high rollers than the four “skyboxes,” private rooms overlooking the main room. Since charging rent would violate pay per view rules, they have no fee, but are generally reserved for and “given” to VIPs with certain expenditure expectations. If you guarantee a big catering bill, you might be able to snag one from VIP services, and these are great for group entertaining.

Mirage: A classic, with old school feel and a split between desk-like cubicles and oversized easy chairs. Several places where you can grab a quick bite to eat are very close by.

Bellagio: The horse race screens are separated from the sports area, they have comfy easy chairs, free flowing drinks, and a small bar area with tables.

Green Valley Ranch: This is where my local friends go, and the best choice away from the hustle and bustle of The Strip.

Mandalay Bay: Huge, with an electric atmosphere and comfortable chairs, this is the most democratic of my favorite books, with the added bonus of friendly servers.

Aria: The smallest room I know of in a big, luxury property, this is the opposite of the loud brash party palace, and intimacy is the selling point.

﻿Cosmopolitan: It’s not a great book per se, but they have the novelty of a new gaming technology that allows for bets during the game with odds changing constantly to reflect the current score – you can still bet your team to win in the third quarter.

Now, without further ado, the 10 Biggest Sporting Events Worth Going to Vegas For (in order):